Tag Archives: Matthew 4:12-25

January 4, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN7515

Proverbs 1:20-23

    Wisdom is there to be found by any who seek her. It is not hidden and we do not have to go to far away exotic places to find it. Wisdom is there in our every day life just waiting for us to pay attention. No one is condemned to remaining foolish unless they choose to be so. It is up to us, we can choose to listen to wisdom or choose to ignore it.

DSCN7516

Psalm 4:1-8

    The psalmist calls out to God when he needs relief from his troubles. He reminds us that God sets aside His faithful servants. Let us stop turning God’s glory into shame. It is time to give up delusions and false gods, those things which promise to give us what we want if only we turn to them rather than God. I will spend my nights searching my heart and seeking how I can better serve God tomorrow, rather than let my mind wander on to how I can satisfy my own pleasure.
    The people of this world are seeking to follow the one who will give them prosperity and worldly pleasures. I will follow God because the joy of doing His will is greater than what I can get from material things. I will not let prosperity nor poverty distract me from seeking God’s face.

DSCN7517

Matthew 4:12-25

    As I read the passage today, I saw something that had never really registered before. The passage tells us that when Jesus heard that Herod had arrested John the Baptist, He left Judea (where Herod ruled). I had read that before, but it was always just a comment about the order in which things happened. However, today I realized that Jesus left Judea because He (and probably His disciples) thought that Herod might follow up the arrest of John the Baptist by arresting Him. This tells us more than just that. Why would Jesus (and others) think that Herod might follow up John’s arrest by arresting Jesus? The answer is because people at the time viewed Jesus as being a leader of the same movement of which John was also a leader. There are other indications later in the New Testament that suggest that the followers of Jesus and the followers of John the Baptist considered themselves part of the same movement well after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

DSCN7518

Genesis 8-10:32

    Five months after the flood began, the Ark came to rest. It was another two and a half months before other mountain tops became visible. After forty more days, Noah released birds to see if there was dry ground. Seven days later, he released a dove. This dove did not return until the end of the day. When it returned it was carrying an olive branch. After another seven days, Noah released the dove again. This time it did not come back. At this point, Noah has been in the Ark, with his wife, three sons, and their wives (and maybe grandchildren) for over nine months. The passage tells us that Noah stayed in the Ark for over a year, until God told him it was time to leave it. I am not sure I would have been able to wait any longer after I saw that the ground was basically dry at around ten months. This passage reminds us of the importance of patience and waiting until God tells us that it is time to act.

January 4, 2014 Bible Study — How Long Will You Love Delusions and Seek Lies?

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

DSCN4515

Genesis 8-10:32

     When the flood waters receded, Noah knew that God intended for him, and all of those with him, to get out of the boat. However, what he did is a great example for all of us. He did not immediately open up the boat and get out and he did not sit around waiting for God to tell him it was time. He sent out birds to see if they could find land. When one of the birds did not return, he realized that it was time to open up the boat, but not yet time to depart it. Having taken appropriate action, Noah was ready to hear God’s voice and leave the boat when it was finally time.

DSCN4516

Matthew 4:12-25

     When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been arrested, He left Judea and returned to Galilee. He then began preaching a message that was basically the same as that preached by the prophets, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” From time to time I come across some writer who claims to have this “shocking discovery” that Jesus’ message was not original. Every time I read this I have the same reaction, “Has this guy never read the Bible?” Jesus’ teaching was not novel and new. It was the culmination of the message God had been speaking through the prophets throughout history.
     We have here Matthew’s account of the calling of the first disciples. When Jesus called out to Peter and Andrew, and then a short time later to James and John, they replied by dropping what they were doing and following Him. When Jesus calls out to us, are we willing to drop everything and follow Him? Will we change our plans because Jesus has called us to something different?

DSCN4514

Psalm 4:1-8

     I really like the NIV take on the first two verses of this psalm. The psalmist asks how long will people turn his glory into shame? How long will they love delusions and seek lies? What is the psalmist’s glory? It is the worship of God and following His commands. Look around, how often do we hear people attempting to turn the desire to follow God’s will for your life into something to be ashamed of? How often do they attempt to delude themselves by substituting delusion and lies for the word of God?
     In verse four the psalmist warns us against allowing anger to lead us into sin. Rather than act out of anger, we should take the time to sleep on it and keep our peace until God has revealed His will to us. When we are angered, we are to take our time and take our anger before God. Once we have considered all that God has for us, the kindness He has done to us despite what we have done, can we really justify venting our wrath on others?
     Finally the psalmist gives us an example to live by, whether you go with the NIV or the NLT. Both tell us that many are looking to God to receive material wealth, but the psalmist is looking to God for peace and joy. The NLT interpretation tells us that God can give us greater joy than any material possession others may desire. The NIV tells us that God will make us able to experience joy at witnessing others receive great wealth. In either case, we can lie down in peace because it is God who makes us safe.

DSCN4565

Proverbs 1:20-23

     Wisdom is not hard to find, she is out on the street calling out to any who will listen. If we are only willing to listen, wisdom is there for the taking. All too often we prefer to remain foolish.

January 4, 2012 Bible Study — Jesus Called and the Disciples Followed

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
     

This Is Winter

Genesis 8-10:32

     Today’s passage tells us that Noah and his family were in the ark for a little over a year (along with the animals). Once the flood waters had receded and the land dried sufficiently, Noah left the ark and released the animals. He kept a selection of animals that were appropriate for sacrifice and offered them to God as a burnt offering. Upon receiving this offering God vowed to Himself that as long as the earth endures He would never again destroy every living thing on the face of the earth as He had just done. God then blessed Noah and his sons, telling them that everything that lives and breathes is there for them to eat. However, they were not to eat meat that still had its blood in it. I believe that this passage is where the Jerusalem Council in Acts 16 based their instruction to the Gentile believers that they should not consume blood or animals that were strangled (I had always wondered where that dietary prohibition came from).
     Further God tells them that He will require an accounting of any person and any creature for the taking of lifeblood. God decreed that anyone who takes a human life should be killed. Noah and his sons are instructed to be fruitful and multiply. They are to fill the earth with mankind. God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants (which includes us) that He would never again destroy all life on the face of the earth with a flood. God pointed to rainbows as a sign of His covenant that never again would flood waters destroy all living creatures.

Trees Against a Winter Sky
Trees Against a Winter Sky

Matthew 4:12-25

     After the forty days in the wilderness fasting, Jesus remained in Judea until He heard that John the Baptist had been arrested. We do not know why He stayed, or what He did during this time. However, when He left Judea He returned to Galilee. Once there, He went down by the Sea of Galilee and saw Andrew and Peter fishing from their boat. Jesus called out to them for them to follow Him. They immediately left their nets and did so. A little further on He saw James and John repairing their nets with their father. Jesus called out to them as well. They, also, immediately left their boat and their father and followed Him. This was an amazing act of faith. They just up and left their families and their livelihood to follow Jesus. Now we know from the Gospel of John that Andrew and Peter had previously encountered Jesus when He was in Judea while John the Baptist was preaching and it is likely that He met James and John around the same time (some readings of the Gospel of John understand John to have met Jesus at the same time as Andrew). Even with that previous exposure, they had returned to their lives and were settling back in when Jesus called them. They did this before He started teaching and healing people. Do we have the faith to step out when God calls, even before anybody else sees where it is leading?
     As Jesus began His ministry word spread. People began bringing the sick and injured to Him for healing. Not just those with physical sicknesses, but also those with other afflictions and Jesus healed them all. They brought those who were demon possessed, had epilepsy, were paralyzed. It did not matter, Jesus healed them all. Why does the Church today fail to offer such healing? I believe that those we call mentally ill are the same as those the Scripture calls demon-possessed. I am not saying that the mentally ill are demon-possessed (although some may well be), but they often behave in a way that certainly looks from the outside like something has taken control of them. In Jesus’ day, contemporary society could offer little hope for the demon-possessed. In the modern age, our society offers little more hope for the mentally ill. Jesus offered healing to all. He still does. We as the Church need to be offering Jesus’ healing to those suffering around us. We need to believe. I need to believe. When Jesus calls to me today, am I willing to leave my “nets” and my life to follow Him?

Heading Into The Woods
Heading Into The Woods

Psalm 4:1-8

     The psalmist calls on us to not let anger lead us to sin. Do not act in anger, but take time to think about what has angered you and only act after you have had time to meditate on what is right. Trust the Lord and make sure that your actions will bring glory to His name before you act. Everyone is looking for who will bring them benefit, but let I will look to God and take joy in doing what He says is right. I can sleep peacefully because I can know that He will keep me safe. I pray that God will help me follow the first part of this when something angers me because that is something that I struggle with. I pray that He help me to bring glory to His name with all of my actions.

Everything Covered In Snow
Everything Covered In Snow

Proverbs 1:20-23

     Today’s proverb tells us that wisdom is calling to us. Wisdom is available to anyone who seeks it. No one needs to remain a simpleton and a fool. If you desire wisdom, seek it. People lack wisdom because they choose to continue in their foolishness. We remain fools only so long as we insist on doing so. We have no excuse for being foolish, wisdom is there for the taking for anyone who is willing to leave foolishness behind.